Electric switches

ABSTRACT

An electric switch in accordance with the invention has fixed contacts and a lever carrying the moving contact. The lever moves to open and close the switch with a locking and sliding movement. The lever is actuated by a slide or other member.

United States Patent Schneider Mar. 18, 1975 1 ELECTRIC SWITCHES1,971,212 8/1934 De Reamer 200/67 AA 2,9l7,5 5 9 2 [76] Inventor: HansWernhard Schneider, Castle 9 12/1 59 Cdwl 00/67 AA Works, High St., OldWoking, Surrey England FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 68,234 10/1957France 200/07 AA 122] Flledi 1974 119,689 10/1918 United Kingdom 2011/07AA [21] App]. No.: 447,337 24,008 4/1963 United Kingdom 200/67 AARelated U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 315,498,Dec. 15, 1972, EXwni'wrDa\/1d Smith,

abandoned, Attorney, Agent, or FirmClelle W. Upchurch [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data Dec. 22, 1971 United Kingdom 59560/71 [57]ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 200/67 AA An electric Switch in accordance withthe inwmion Cl. h fixed contacts and a lever y g the moving [58] held ofSearch 200/67 67 67 contact. The lever moves to open and close theswitch 200/76 with a locking and sliding movement. The lever is actuatedby a slide or other member. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1,882,857 10/1932 Meuer 200/67 AA -1- .l l111 I l/ "E l/ 7| PMENIED I 3.872.269

SHEET 2 [IF 4 PATENTED 1 81975 sum u 0F 4 ELECTRIC SWITCHES This is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 315,498, filed Dec. 15,1972, nowabandoned.

This invention relates to electric switches and although particularlyconcerned with electric switches operated by means of a finger operatedslide, is applicable to electric switches actuated by means of a rockinglever of toggle.

The chief object of the invention is to evolve an electric switch ofrobust construction having an improved quick-action make and breaksystem, having a minimum number of parts which can be quickly and easilyassembled by semi-skilled labour and which can be cheaply manufacturedin quantities. The switch in accordance with the invention is of acompact construction and is suitable for mains use over a long period.

An electric switch in accordance with the present invention includes acasing, a pair of spaced fixed contacts mounted therein, a lever mountedwithin said casing and having a combined rocking and sliding movement, amoving contact in the form ofa roller carried by said lever and inpermanent rolling engagement with one of said fixed contacts and movableas a result of combined rocking and sliding movement of said lever intoengagement with the other fixed contact to bridge said contacts andcomplete an electrical circuit, a spring associated with said leverurging said roller into engagement with its associated fixed contact, acover or closure plate closing said casing and a slide, rocking lever ortoggle associated therewith which as a result of its sliding or pivotalmovement is adapted to impart a rocking movement to the lever carryingsaid roller and at the same time compress its associtated spring and tomove said lever through a dead centre position and permit the spring toimpart a quick sliding and rocking movement to said lever and itsassociated roller and make or break the electrical circuit with a quicksnap action.

Preferably the combined rocking and sliding lever includes a pair ofoppositely arranged trunnion-like projections each carrying a metalroller type moving contact, the casing containing two pairs of fixedcontacts, all four contacts being used when the switch 1 is to be usedas a double pole switch, the lever including an upwardly projectingtubular arm containing a helically wound biasing spring.

The invention will now be described in detail, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, as applied to a double pole slide actuatedelectric switch intended for mains use but it will be appreciated thatwithout departing from the scope of the invention, the switch may beeasily modified to become a double pole changeover switch and actuatedif desired by the usual rocking lever or toggle.

1n the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the switch with part of the operating slide andcover plate broken away;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line Ill-III of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an underneath plan view of the switch.

The switch casing is in the form of an insulating moulding l ofrectangular shape and formed with later ally spaced vertical slots 2into each of which is dropped a pair of fixed pressed metal contacts 3and 4 (see particularly FIG. 2). An insulating spacer 5 is interposedbetween each contact and a cover plate 6 and screws 7 pass through thecasing 1 intermediate the contacts to engage the plate 6 and to fix thecasing 1 thereto. Leads 8 and 9 are solder-connected to the contacts andemerge through apertures 10 in the casing 1.

The contacts are held against accidental movement caused for example bypulling on the electrical leads 8 and 9.

The contact 3 of each pair of fixed contacts defines a track 11 alongwhich the moving roller contact runs, the track 11 being inclinedtowards the other contact 4 to facilitate rolling movement of the rolleralong the track and into engagement with the other contact of the pair.The contact 4 has an undercut 12 to ensure efficient bridging contactbetween the moving and fixed contacts when closing the electricalcircuit.

The lever 13 which is in the form of an insulating moulding is generallyT-shaped (see particularly FIG. 3) and has a silver plated metal roller14 revolvably mounte at each end of the cross piece 15 thereof.

The stem 16 of the lever upstands and is tubular housing a coiledcompression spring 17.

The upper open end of the casing 1 is closed by the cover plate 6 orattachment bracket which carries a moulded operating slide 18 having aserrated upper surface and composed of insulating material, the coverplate being for example of metal.

The slide has two laterally spaced dependent lugs 19 which projectthrough a rectangular slot 20 in the cover plate and guide the slide 18lengthwise of the slot, the lugs being formed with oppositely positionedholes 21 for the reception of a transverse pin 22 which, when the switchis assembled enters diametrally arranged slots 23 in the stem 16 of thelever 13 and engages the upper end of the coil spring 17 to compress thelatter when the slide 18 is moved lengthwise of the cover plate 6. Thepin 22 projects laterally outwardly from the lugs 19 to locate theslide. On the cover plate 6 which is stamped with the usual On", OFFindications which are alternately obscured by the cover plate.

In operation the slide 18 is moved lengthwise of the slot 20 in thecover plate 6. This compresses the spring 17 in the lever and rocks thelever about the rotational axis of the rollers 14. The lever 13 thuspasses through a dead centre position allowing the spring 17 to takecharge and impart a quick combined rocking and sliding movement in theopposite direction thus making or breaking the electrical connectionwith a quick snap action, the spring 17 being still in a state ofpartial compression holding the rollers 14 firmly in engagement with thefixed contacts 3 and 4. The assembly is illustrated in the closedcondition with the roller 14 bridging the gap between contacts 4 and 5.

The interior of the casing is so shaped and dimensioned as to guide andretain the lever and its associated rollers whilst the slot in the coverplate guides the slide and limits its sliding movement.

I claim:

1. An electric switch including a casing; a pair of fixed contactsmounted therein in longitudinally spaced relationship; a lever having astem and mounted within said casing, said lever having a combinedlongitudinal rocking and sliding movement; a slot at one end of saidstem; a moving contact in the form of a roller carried by said lever andin permanent rolling engagement with one of said fixed contacts andlongitudinally movable as a result of combined rocking and slidingmovement of said lever into engagement with the other fixed contact tobridge said contacts and complete an electrical circuit; a springengaged with said stem and urging said roller into engagement with itsassociated fixed contact; a plate closing said casing; a longitudinallymovable actuating slide coupled with said plate; a cross pin carried bysaid slide cooperating with said slot and locking said slide in coupledrelative sliding relationship with respect to said cover, said springacting against said cross pin, said slide being adapted to impart therocking movement to said lever carrying said roller and at the same timecompress said spring and to move said lever longitudinally through adead center position and permit said spring to impart a quicklongitudinal sliding and rocking movement to said lever and itsassociated roller and makeor break the electrical circuit with a quicksnap action.

tive roller at each end of the cross piece.

1. An electric switch including a casing; a pair of fixed contactsmounted therein in longitudinally spaced relationship; a lever having astem and mounted within said casing, said lever having a combinedlongitudinal rocking and sliding movement; a slot at one end of saidstem; a moving contact in the form of a roller carried by said lever andin permanent rolling engagement with one of said fixed contacts andlongitudinally movable as a result of combined rocking and slidingmovement of said lever into engagement with the other fixed contact tobridge said contacts and complete an electrical circuit; a springengaged with said stem and urging said roller into engagement with itsassociated fixed contact; a plate closing said casing; a longitudinallymovable actuating slide coupled with said plate; a cross pin carried bysaid slide cooperating with said slot and locking said slide in coupledrelative sliding relationship with respect to said cover, said springacting against said cross pin, said slide being adapted to impart therocking movement to said lever carrying said roller and at the same timecompress said spring and to move said lever longitudinally through adead center position and permit said spring to impart a quicklongitudinal sliding and rocking movement to said lever and itsassociated roller and make or break the electrical circuit with a quicksnap action.
 2. An electric switch according to claim 1 wherein said onefixed contact has the surface on which the roller rolls and slidesinclined downwardly towards the other fixed contact.
 3. An electricswitch according to claim 1 wherein the combined rocking and slidinglever includes a cross piece carried by said stem and an electricallyconductive roller at each end of the cross piece.